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Post by thanx2mj on Jun 20, 2007 19:40:58 GMT -5
This is featured in Josefina Learns a Lesson. Released in 1997 for $50, retired in 2006. After the retirement of Josefina's Books & Supplies in 2003, the ledger, quill pen, and inkwell were included with this piece and the price increased.
Tía Dolores’s elegant writing desk came all the way up the Camino Real, the trail from Mexico City. Designed to be conveniently portable, it’s plain on the outside, pretty on the inside! Set the desk on its wooden stand, lift the lid, and fold down the front flap. Josefina store her books and writing supplies inside. There’s even a secret compartment so you can hide a surprise for Josefina.
Grade: B-
desk (closes) with drawers and compartment that can come out. stand glass inkwell feather pen ledger
I ordered this last Sunday and today it came in. Out of all the things I have acquired for Josefina this desk was probably the first letdown.
The desk is two pieces. Part of it is plastic and the other parts are some sort of plywood or something like that. The outside of the top part of the desk is plastic, high quality plastic, but plastic nonetheless.
Already one of the drawers on this thing is slightly warped. The wooden stand is sturdy; the black plastic box, for that is what it is basically, is not that sturdy and does not complement the stand very well. The slightest touch will move it or knock it over.
I have the original school supplies that I got in 1999 as a birthday present, and the difference between the two ledgers is rather noticeable. My original ledger is made of leather and isn't that shiny, the one that came with this set is very shiny and most likely plastic. There are no differences between the quills, and the green inkwells are slightly different in color.
It is obvious that this desk was originally meant to hold the school supplies set, which I have but of which Mattel has discontinued. The desk seems rather worthless without the school supplies--and very empty. Its a nice piece to add to my collection, but of all of Josefina's things I've acquired in the last ten years, this one is the most disappointing.
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Post by American Girl Rescue on Dec 21, 2007 21:34:46 GMT -5
Writing Desk & Stand - JSF $50 (after the Books & Supplies were discontinued the ledger, quill pen, and inkwell were included with the desk and the price rose to $54) "Tía Dolores’s elegant writing desk came all the way up the Camino Real, the trail from Mexico City. Designed to be conveniently portable, it’s plain on the outside, pretty on the inside! Set the desk on its wooden stand, lift the lid, and fold down the front flap. Josefina store her books and writing supplies inside. There’s even a secret compartment so you can hide a surprise for Josefina." I just received this item (one week after it retired) and I absolutely love it! It's so authentically Mexican and very sturdy and well made. The desk itself is black acrylic on the outside and on the fronts of the drawers, but made with wood on the inside and all the drawers and secret compartments. Josefina's Writing Desk and Stand (size comparison) The ledger that is included is real leather with a few pages inside that contain the Montoya Family Weavers accounts in both Spanish and English. Also included is the green glass ink well and white feather from the retired Books & Supplies set. Leather bound Ledger, glass ink well, feather pen The inside drawers open up to reveal two hidden compartments. Drawers and hidden compartments The inside of the lid as well as the front panel of the Writing desk has a laminate of authentic looking Mexican designs. laminate of (imitation) Mexican wood inlays The Writing Desk measures 3 3/4" tall x 5" wide x 3 3/4" deep when closed. The closed up Writing Desk The solid wooden stand is made with mortise and tenon construction and has a hand-tooled look to the finish. The Desk Stand without the Desk The Desk Stand has two 'arms' that pull out of the top bars to support the Writing Desk when the front flap is open for use. The Desk Stand without the Desk, but with the front supports open The is a wonderful addition to Josefina's collection and an important part to her story. The quality, durability and play-value is great. Grade A
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Post by 4kitty on Apr 29, 2008 21:59:12 GMT -5
I have this desk too. But, I'm selling my Josefina items off and aquiring all Kit items. So, I read this review and thought the desk was plastic.
It's not a cheap piece at all. I'm having a lot of trouble getting photos loaded here and now. Once I figure it out - I'll let you see.
It is NOT! The desk cube is entirely made of Wood. This is a Pine and is easily carved by hand. The desk top closes for storage and to keep dust and dirt from getting into to the papers kept inside, just like a real one did in 1824. The inside, while not hand-painted, it has a very realistic print on the lid and desk-top. The drawers open and there is the secret hiding place inside. But the entire piece is all wood. There is a very solid finish in black painted on the outside. If you take out the big drawer and look inside it is wood on all 4 sides of the black outside cube. I really like this piece. I wish I had more room for these pieces. I think it is close to museum quality. Take my word for it- If I didn't have to let it go I wouldn't.
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Post by kym on Dec 5, 2008 13:56:05 GMT -5
This was a gift from my DD when their was rumors that the desk was retiring. The desk is black arcrylic on the outside, and wood on the side. It is very cute. B+
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green chile supergirl
American Girl Prototype
Order of the Llama Best Writing 2012
A Pueblo Girl in the City
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Post by green chile supergirl on May 28, 2009 18:11:12 GMT -5
Grade: B I purchased this set at MCM for the perfect price of $15. I really like it, but I think I would be disappointed with it had I paid the retail price. It's deceptively sturdy, with the lid having a little lip that fits into an indention on the writing surface when the desk is folded up. The colors are very pretty; I really appreciate how all of Josefina's things fall into a simple, elegant color scheme. The plethora of little drawers and the two secret compartments are such much fun! I wouldn't have realized the second compartment existed without a little included slip of paper reading "push here to reveal the secret compartment." The stand seems as if it's made from pine. It has the same beautiful detailing as the table/chairs set. I thought mine seemed a bit distressed, but after looking at the other reviews, it seems this is normal and not a particular effect of being an MCM item. If you can find this piece for a reasonable price on the secondary market, go for it. However, I wouldn't recommend paying retail and definitely wouldn't go above retail for it.
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Post by skukla on Dec 19, 2010 17:48:04 GMT -5
I have 2 stands and no table as yet, so they are serving as the base for her table top (that would be posterboard!) at the moment.
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maggiedoll
Girl of Many Lands
If what you are saying is true...then I still don't care
Posts: 589
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Post by maggiedoll on Jan 24, 2015 21:35:48 GMT -5
Writing Desk & Stand Item# JSF $50 -Desk Only Item# JSF $54 Retired 2006
Tía Dolores’s elegant writing desk came all the way up the Camino Real, the trail from Mexico City. Designed to be conveniently portable, it’s plain on the outside, pretty on the inside! Set the desk on its wooden stand, lift the lid, and fold down the front flap. Josefina store her books and writing supplies inside. There’s even a secret compartment so you can hide a surprise for Josefina.
(after the Books & Supplies were discontinued the ledger, quill pen, and inkwell were included with the desk price rose to $54) I am reasonably sure my desk is early Josefina, 1998 or 1998. Except from some peeling of the decoration the desk has aged very well and uphold some minor play and/or display. [*Mod edit to remove dead image links throughout review]Given the importance of the desk in her story, I felt that her desk is vital to her collection. It is a very pretty little thing and looks lovely as a display piece I have several issues to that keeps me from loving it. The desk is in two pieces, the desk itself and the stand. The desk seems a mixture of plywood and paper with metal hinges and the stand a heavier wood. The stand does not fold which to me would make better sense if it was really to be a traveling desk. When folded up, the desk stayed folded up and I think it would actually keep supplies inside the desk. It is very compact and fits well into the tray of her trunk. On the other end, once it is open and secured on the stand the desk stays open. The desk is very pretty on the inside. The dominate color is an earthly red with bits of and gold, all that matches the plain black of the desk. The desk part paper is starting to peal at the corner do to age but that can be covered. Now to my complaint. The desk is very, very fragile. The lid to the "secret" compartment went down and won't come back up. It is really hard to open the drawers and harder to push it back in. There is sort of feeling that the slightest pull or give will break the desk or a part of it. I know that back in the PC days creating fragile things but as someone who has to deal with cats that broken such delicate things I like playing with things that I feel that a grown woman should not have to worry about breaking a girl's toy. My second, age old complaint, the desk is tiny! Josefina in my mind is a girl small for her age learning to read and write at her aunt's desk. The doll Josefina towers over the desk and sits kind of awkward with the risk hitting her knees. Speaking of chairs, why is Josefina cursed to go though life on her feet? For fun, Josefina's writing desk with Cécile's parlor desk. This is sinful in our fandom but the Mattel lovely, well-made and reasonably to scale and looks great with her owner desk is quite better than the tiny, fragile and makes her owner look large and awkward Present Company desk. I am glad that I own the desk and I think it worth the Ebay search and prices because it is so important to her story and collection. If it was not so fragile and a little bigger it would be such a wonderful piece. B
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Post by OdessaSophia on Jun 9, 2015 9:51:28 GMT -5
I just bought the desk a few days ago and have some mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, I love it. I love that it has so many cute little compartments for storing things for Josefina and that it folds up and stores so nicely as a little black box. I also love the design of it and the colors. However, I am a little disappointed about the quality. The first reviewer mentioned that her desk was plastic, which I am guessing she must have a later edition, because mine is wood. So that's a plus. What I am not too wild about is the beautiful designs on the inside are paper. This wouldn't bother me so much, but it is peeling off and I have to be careful when I open the bottom drawer, so as not to fold it back and have it come off more. Also there are a few little funny spots with the wood and structure of the box, in that I don't think the pieces were selected well since in some places things don't fit just so. Maybe it's just that the desk is old and I am a little picky. As for the stand, it is plain and simply serves it's purpose, nothing more or less. But I do like the details put into it with the notches in he wood. Both stand and desk are delicate and I think that little girls playing with it would have to have been very careful. As a collector's item it is beautiful and I love it! I am just not sure I can justify the price I paid for it now on the secondary market or even the price of it before when it was originally still for sale through AG. But overall I am happy to have it!
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Post by keeperofthepast on Jun 7, 2023 18:16:23 GMT -5
I can only review the stand which I received as a bonus with my Josefina doll. It does look hand carved and the front portions pulls out. It is pure wood. I plan to make a top for it for Josefina to store her Nighttime Necessities on.
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